Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The interview goes on to state:

I type. Then I say, “I think you might be confusing Michael D Higgins with .”

We are talking about somebody who has been appointed as the artistic director of European city of culture in Galway. That raises concerns in my mind as to the integrity of the process which appointed that person. I certainly have concerns and I hope to be reassured that there will be no problems in the future.

I also engage regularly with many artists around Galway city and county. There are concerns about the whole process of the bid and call-outs which were happening. I attended as many as I could. It was a great process and lots of ideas were taken on board. All of the ideas were used in the bid process, but artists in the area have heard very little since. I have talked to people who were asked to do a lot of the organising in different areas on a voluntary basis and they have heard nothing. They do not know what is happening. There are concerns.

Small Towns, Big Ideas is great in principle but we need to see it happening in practice.I have concerns about a project called Symphonic Waves. It is a wonderful project, but I am hearing there are difficulties and challenges. I am not sure whether the Minister has any knowledge of it.

Senator Aidan Davitt is correct that business owners welcome the development. My concern is that it is really being pushed by the corporate and business elements in Galway city. We have seen that happen in many other projects. I have the same concerns as Senator Alice-Mary Higgins about the input of artists, particularly local artists.

On our talk about the outreach element, it is really important to me that there be an ongoing legacy. What will we see in Galway in 2021? We are told that what is to occur is not a festival, but many involved in the arts in Galway believe it is just a festival for one year and that we will not see a major legacy afterwards. What will be left behind? Many artists are telling me that they have significant problems in finding arts spaces. For example, they cannot find places in which to exhibit in the city, whileo thers cannot find places to perform. There is an issue in the area of dance. What will be left after 2020? How much of the €45 million will be spent on infrastructure that will stay in place, training and upskilling to enable people to continue working in the area? How far outside the city centre will the project reach? It has been said in the newspaper that various towns in the county will have activities. I am worried about some of the socio-economically disadvantaged areas in which people on lower incomes might be living. How will the project be extended to these communities? Will there be an outreach programme covering ethnic minorities, the new Irish, Travellers in the city, etc?

Tá mé an-amhrasach faoi chúrsaí Gaeilge chomh maith. Níor luaigh an tAire an Ghaeilge le linn a haitheasc. Níl mórán cainte faoin nGaeilge sa chlár mar atá sé leagtha amach i láthair na huaire. Tá amhras orm nach mbeifear ag tabhairt aitheantas sách mhaith do chúrsaí Gaeilge sa rud seo ar fad. I will be a thorn in the side of Galway 2020 and will keep asking questions between now and 2020 because I want it to be a success. As the Minister is devoting €15 million of taxpayers' money to it, she also needs to ask many questions about how it is being spent to ensure there will be no more debacles and that we will have a lasting legacy. Galway 2020 should be a great success, of which everybody can be proud.